BEARS HOPE IMPROVED DEFENSE WILL PREVAIL IN SHOWDOWN WITH STATE'S HUNTERS

HARRISBURG --- When the Pennsylvania Bears face the Keystone Hunters later this month, the Bears are hoping improved defense will keep the game competitive.
The Bears have a history of losing badly. But after the debacle of the 2005 season, in which they lost 4,164 to zero, team management decided on wholesale changes. A new coach was hired, and a new emphasis was put on defense.
"With all due respect,I think the Bears had gotten a little soft prior to 2005," head coach Dick LeBear said today. "I've tried to instill in them a sense of defending every blade of grass. Plus we drafted some big guys out of Monroe County, and we've got some very skilled players downfield."
One of those skilled players is Troy Pawamalu, who had to sit out two seasons with a leg injury. "He's awesome," fellow player James Furrier says. "When God made him, He touched him a couple more times than the rest of us. He is the heart and soul of the team."
"Realistically, we're not going to score a lot of offensive points," LeBear said. "Two years ago, we had one player manage to reach out and get a Hunter's family jewels, but that's the only two-point play we've ever scored. Some people might call him a dirty player for that, but that's a Hall of Fame move in my book." LeBear noted that since that player 'retired' only two years ago, he still has several more years before he will be eligible for the Hall.
"The defense will have to carry us. We don't want to be like the Lions," LeBear says. "I mean the Detroit Lions -- real lions are actually pretty competitive."